Symptoms

Physical symptoms may include headache, fatigue, insomnia, digestive changes, neck pain or backache, loss of appetite, or overeating.

Psychological symptoms may include tension or anxiety, anger, reclusiveness, pessimism, resentment, increased irritability, feelings of cynicism, and inability to concentrate or perform at usual levels.

Call Your Doctor If

You have prolonged or acute symptoms. Excessive stress puts you at risk of other serious disorders, including immune problems, digestive disorders, diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, migraine headaches, and possibly cancer.

You have symptoms of stress and any of the following: unusual patterns of sleep, appetite, and moods; physical movement that is unusually agitated or abnormally slow. You may have clinical depression.

Relaxation exercises can help you keep stress under control. For the Corpse, lie on your back, with your feet approximately 18 inches apart and turned out slightly. With palms up, place your hands about six inches from your hips. Close your eyes and breathe deeply for eight to 10 minutes.

Stress is the reaction of our bodies and minds to something that upsets their normal balance. The human response to stressful events is an ancient one, dating back to a time when life was a constant struggle for survival A good example of stress in action is the way you react when you are frightened or threatened. But not all stressful events are so sudden or so obvious as the threat of bodily harm. Stress occurs when there is an imbalance between the demands of life and our ability to cope with them. Any challenge that overwhelms us—a serious illness, the death of a family member, the loss of a job or a lover—can be stressful to the point of physical and psychological dysfunction.

Herbal Beauty

Treatment Options

Some treatments once considered alternative are now widely used in the medical community—particularly those designed to promote physical and mental relaxation.

Aromatherapy

Essential oil of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) can help reduce stress: Try 5 or 6 drops in a bath, or put 2 or 3 drops on a handkerchief and inhale from time to time. Other oils to try include Roman chamomile (Anthemis nobilis), marjoram (Origanum majorana), lemon-scented eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora), and lemon balm (Melissa officinalis).

Ayurvedic Medicine

Two combined formulas, Geriforte and Mentat, may help reduce stress. The following remedies may also be useful: a milk decoction or powder of the root of winter cherry; a decoction or powder of the fruit of emblic myrobalan; or an infusion, powder, or pill of gotu kola.

Body Work

The Alexander technique focuses on ways to eliminate stress-causing muscle tension and promote a restful breathing pattern.

Exercise

Vigorous aerobic exercise can reduce the level of pulse-quickening hormones released during stress and stimulate a sense of well-being. Even a walk around the block can help reduce anxiety. Try to schedule the exercise of your choice for 30 minutes at least three times a week.

Stretching exercises can relax tense upper- body muscles that accompany stress and affect breathing. Rotate your shoulders up, back, and then down. Inhale as the shoulders go back; exhale as they go down. Do the exercise four or five times, inhale deeply, and exhale. Repeat the cycle.

Flower Remedy

The Bach flower Rescue Remedy may help reduce stress. Consult a naturopath or other practitioner familiar with flower remedies.

Herbal Therapies

A traditional response to stress is to drink a cup of hot tea. Some herbalists suggest chamomile (Matricaria recutita), passionflower (Passiflora incarnata), valerian (Valeriana officinalis), or American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) tea.

Hydrotherapy

Try a warm bath containing 1 drop of the essential oils of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia), jasmine, or German chamomile (Matricaria recutita).

Massage

By relaxing tense muscles and helping circulation, massage helps the mind relax. Between treatments, massage your temples, neck, shoulders, and face.

Mind/Body Medicine

Meditation brings relaxation and increased awareness. When you feel stressed, think affirmations such as “I can face this calmly. I control my own life.” Or try visualization, or guided imagery, exercises. Visualizing a pleasant situation can bring physical as well as emotional benefits; combine a visualization session with soothing music. Many excellent teachers, books, and tapes are available to help you learn the technique.

Nutrition and Diet

How well you handle stress can be affected by your diet. Because it is easy to neglect nutrition when you are under stress, make an extra effort to eat a balanced diet—plenty of vegetables and fruit, as well as foods high in complex carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat. Avoid or reduce caffeine consumption: Excessive caffeine has been shown to increase anxiety.

Sound Therapy

A number of sound-therapy techniques can help reduce stress.

Home Remedies

There are many simple, inexpensive ways to manage stress on your own. For many people, a good way to start is by cutting out artificial stress relievers such as alcohol, which can mask symptoms and may become addictive. Try exercise instead. Take walks. Breathe deeply.

In times of stress, social support is crucial. People with close personal relationships are the most likely to recover from serious illness or injury, and stress is no different. The ability to form relationships with people—or pets, for that matter— can be a key to good health.

Prevention

While we can’t—and perhaps shouldn’t try to— change our personality or avoid stressful situations, we can learn to cope with them. Try the following:

Cultivate outside interests and plan occasional diversions to break routine habits.

Set up a regular sleeping schedule and get plenty of rest—without sleeping pills.

Ea Avoid the learned behaviors of hurry and worry, which can upset your sleeping, eating, and other schedules. Take time to enjoy your life.

Make a list of things that trouble you. Ask yourself: What’s the worst that can happen? Have I done what I can to prepare myself? Is this problem really worth worrying about?

When you’re facing a stressful situation, remember a bit of folk wisdom: Count to 10 and take a deep breath before saying or doing anything. A deliberate pause can be an instant tranquilizer.

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